Escape
by Agent Frostbite
Summary: Padawan Rachel Starr is one of the few survivors of Order 66. After being captured by the Decepticons, she awaits the arrival of her interrogator and hunter, an Inquisitor. Not one to take anything lying down, she concocts a risky plan for escape, one that will place her directly in harm's way from another source... Fifth in the Refugee Series.


After stewing in captivity and mulling over her predicament, Rachel Starr decided to actually do something about it. She examined the cell top to bottom, going over every inch with a sharp gaze (and a little Force assistance), and came up with only one way out of there:

The hole in the ceiling where the chains were.

After checking for cameras and seeing there was one, she realized her captors must've been put on edge, and calmed down. She stood, doing nothing, and looking rather awkward. She knew she couldn't just stand there the whole time, but to make a move now would mean taking a risk on whether or not they were watching her.

So she decided to do something she hadn't done since well before leaving her other life behind: meditate. She sat down in the center of the room, cross-legged, hands resting in her lap. She closed her eyes and connected with the Force.

She reached out across the stars, looking for anyone left. There was so much suffering...so much pain and loss. The holes where there had once been thousands of Jedi were so...noticeable. It was as if someone had shot holes through a target. What was once and should've been there wasn't anymore.

She felt so cold.

And angry.

And hurt.

The range of emotions was nearly overwhelming as she reached out and tried to find someone, _anyone_ she knew or knew about. Even those members on the Council, those who had once shined bright at beacons in the darkness, were missing. They were all dead and gone.

Except...

 _"Far you have come, young one."_

Her eyes fluttered open as her concentration broke from shock. "Master Yoda?" The connection started to slip, and she closed her eyes again, trying to get it back, mentally reaching out for the small tendrils of light and familiarity. _"Master Yoda?"_

 _"A long way you are from home, Padawan,"_ he answered. A smile spread across her face. He _was_ alive, and that meant there was still hope.

 _"Yes, Master. Forgive me, I panicked and ran,"_ she replied. tilting her head in shame and biting her lip in nervousness.

 _"A right choice, you have made. Need you more, this world does, than the Jedi do,"_ he answered.

 _"No, Master! The Jedi need me! They need everyone they can get to defeat the Sith! And you're still with us; we can still salvage this,"_ Rachel protested. She heard a small hum, and her heart twisted, because she could see his head shaking.

 _"Over is the era of the Jedi. Hide, we must, to survive. A hope, there is, but not yet ready,"_ Yoda informed. _"If help you want to, let them know where you are, you must. Rally them. Safe, that planet is. Hidden. Protected. There, the Jedi can hide until the time is right."_

No, no, no. This was all wrong! He was supposed to say that she should reach out and tell the Jedi to arm, to rally to Yoda for another push against the one behind the rebellion of the clones. After all, it wasn't like the Jedi couldn't fight. They _were_ just in a war.

 _"Patience, young one,"_ Yoda chided gently, sensing her thoughts. _"Defeated, we have been. Another fight, pointless it would be. Survival is what matters now."_

In her heart, she knew he was right.

 _"Yes, Master,"_ she replied. _"I understand now."_ Kinda. She was still upset. _"What do I do?"_

 _"Let go. A new start, you have. Use it wisely. A Jedi you will always be, but the Jedi are no longer."_ She nodded _"An ally turned enemy, hunting you she is. Escape, you must, before find you, she does. Your plan, good it is. Use it. Forget not who you are. Rachel Starr."_

 _"Yes, Master Yoda,"_ she answered. The connection slipped away. She had a feeling she wouldn't get it back. And somehow, that was okay, because she had a new mission now. "I promise I'll make you proud," she whispered.

She looked up at the camera, and using the Force, slowly pushed it so it was facing the door. She then stood and jumped toward the chains, grabbing them and climbing up them to the vents above.

She swung from the chain to the side of the vent wall, then jumped off each wall, making upward progress with each jump, until she came to the proper vent system. Nice and flat. She snuck through the unusually large vents and got to the cell next to hers, where Jack and June Darby were being held.

She slowly lowered herself, holding onto the ledge with only one hand, barely giving her a view of the camera. She use the Force and turned it toward the door. Once it was, she whispered. "Jack!"

They both looked up. "Rachel!" Jack exclaimed quietly. "How-"

"Ceiling. Get beneath me, and try not to move to much," Rachel replied. They both did as she said, and she used the Force, reaching out to Jack as he slowly started to rise.

"Whoa-oa!" Jack exclaimed as he was lifted toward Rachel.

"Jack!" his mother exclaimed at nearly the same time. Jack was looking around, but at least he wasn't flailing. It was always so much harder when they flailed.

She slowly lifted him to the ledge, gently lowering him once he was safely in the vent. He sighed, and she let go. She ignored the fatigue in her arm as she began to do the same with Ms. Darby.

Halfway through, she heard footsteps outside the door. She increased the speed with which she lifted June, and once she was safely over firm ground, she let go.

Of Ms. Darby intentionally. Of the ledge? Not so intentional.

Thankfully, Jack was quick, and he grabbed her arm, almost going down with the sudden weight. He stayed firm, through, and the door opened. "What?!" Starscream shouted. 'Shrieked' was more accurate. "Where are the humans?!" he demanded.

Jack pulled her up, and they got away from the opening, travelling through the vents until they passed over another cell. Inside, she sensed someone. She stopped. Jack and June noticed, and Jack called to her. "Come on, they already know we're missing."

"Hang on," Rachel murmured. She approached the opening into the cell they were above, Inside was another Cybertronian, sitting on the floor, head in his hands. He was red, white, and blue, and had an Autobot insignia on his chest. She waved the other two over, and they saw him.

While Jack and June looked at each other, Rachel called to him. "Psst!" He looked up and saw them. He stood, and the camera shifted toward the vent. "Whoops." Rachel Force-crushed it. "We just got made."

"How?" June asked.

"The camera saw him look up at us, and then looked at us," Rachel answered. She looked at how big he was, and deciding he wouldn't fit in the vent, she hopped down to him. Jack reached her reasoning quickly, and with some hesitation, jumped down. She used the Force to catch him.

"Who are you?" the Autobot asked. June was more hesitant than Jack, but must've trusted Rachel to catch her, because she jumped as well. Rachel caught her just as easily as she caught Jack, and set her down just as gently. "And how are you doing that?"

"I'm Rachel Starr, and these are Jack and June Darby," she answered, gesturing to each of them. "We're friends of the Autobots." At this, the 'Bot perked up.

"They're here? And still alive? How many? Which ones?" he asked rapid-fire. There were footsteps in the hall. "Questions for later, then. Do you have a plan of escape?"

"It mostly involves attacking," Rachel replied, and she read his expression. He was a pacifist, but defended himself when needed. The door opened, and Rachel pulled out her lightsaber and ignited it.

Even _battle droids_ were smart enough to relieve her of her lightsaber whenever she was captured, and battle droids were really dumb.

She deflected the shots back at the Vehicons and then crumpled to the ground. Starscream was behind them, but before he could fire off a shot, she Force-pushed him unto the opposite hallway wall with enough force to knock him out. "Ta-da," she said, deactivating her lightsaber.

"Excellent work," The 'Bot praised. Jack took off down the hall, and the others quickly followed.

"They're here, they're alive, five, and I'll tell you next time we have a place to stop," Jack answered the questions almost as rapid-fire as the 'Bot had asked them.

"Who are you?" June asked. Rachel pulled up to just behind Jack. "How'd you get here?"

"My name is Skyfire, and I received a transmission from Optimus Prime, telling all Autobots to gather here, on Earth. I was captured almost immediately upon arrival, so I assumed the message was a trap," he answered. Jack turned a corner, and there were three Vehicons there.

Skyfire's reaction time was impressively fast. His arms transformed into blasters - small ones, which wasn't surprising - and he took out the three 'Cons. "Nice shot," Jack said. Skyfire only nodded.

"We need a map of the place; we've got to get out of here," Rachel said. Skyfire approached a computer terminal and tapped a few keys.

"According to this, we're near the flight deck. We could get out that way," he informed.

"I don't think they have any ships there," June said. "Most of these guys can fly."

"So can I," Skyfire replied, almost grimly. "Follow me," he ordered. So they did.

They made it to the flight deck with relatively little contact with others. Rachel actually through it was going to be easy. And then they saw the mini-army of Vehicons waiting at the flight deck.

"How are we gonna get past them all?" Jack asked. Rachel went over the options in her mind. Jack and June were civvies and couldn't fight. Skyfire was a pacifist and didn't want to fight. That left Rachel, the only one who could and had no problem with it.

Against 30 two-story tall armed, trained attackers? Yeah, no.

"We'll need a distraction," Rachel said. "I'll draw them away. Skyfire, get them out of here and wait for me as long as you can, but if it's escape without me or recapture, go."

"We're not leaving you here," June said sternly.

"You won't be. Trust me, Ms. Darby, I think I know what I'm doing," Rachel said. She left the small group hiding in the shadows and went to the door. She kicked it, and they opened it. "Hiya!"

They started shooting at her, and her saber was a blur as she activated it and began deflecting shots and slicing limbs. She held her position for a few minutes, and was able to because while the door was wide, they couldn't all get to her. It was a funnel, and they were forced to press against each other to get to a position where they might be able to shoot her.

When she began to back up, she drew them away from the door, and then broke position and ran away. They pursued, chasing her down the hallway. She cut the lights, and they flickered for a moment or two.

She took to the shadows, and they all ran straight past her, still looking for her. She smirked.

She waited till they were all out of sight, and then slowly emerged. She saw Skyfire transform to his jet mode and let the Darbys board. She ran down the hall back toward him, trying to be stealthy.

She failed when another ship approached and landed. She sprinted to him, leaving behind any trace of stealth to get to him and boarding. The other ship hovered there as he took off. She put her saber back on her hilt and grabbed onto the frame as they took off at breakneck speed.

"Whoo-hoo! We did it!" Jack cheered. June hugged him, and Rachel smiled. That had gone surprisingly well.

That's when the shot hit Skyfire.

 **A/N: CUT! Okay, people, that's good! Take five.**

 **So! *claps hands* Firstly, I wanna give a shout-out to my off-site story-follower/reviewer Gabriel for the idea of what might be in the desert. It's very good and I will be using it. (Nobody go look, 'cause that's cheating and will spoil the surprise!)**

 **I also wanna thank CT7567Rules for the idea to bring Skyfire in. That really helped with how they were supposed to get off the** _ **Nemesis**_ **.**

 **I know that this is the first one without any other POVs or mysterious hints, but I couldn't find a good place to put it in, and it would take away from the shock value of Skyfire getting shot. I promise I'll start out the next one with the other POVs.**

 **Also, who's ready for a fight scene? Anyone wanna see some lightsaber combat?**


End file.
